The Choices We Make
by Pevensie Fairchild
Summary: Since Raeolin woke up in a jail cell with no idea who she was or how she got there, she finds herself involved in conflict after conflict with no end in sight. But when faced with a choice, will she seek answers from her past or forge a new destiny?


Prologue

The Capture

"And I would have killed him too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids," she said, leaning back in her chair so far that she almost fell off, looking very smug.

"Oh really?" I said, trying to humor her. "I thought you said last time that you killed him with your bare hands and Azura herself commended you for your bravery."

She looked up at me, very seriously, and said, "I don't know." Then burst into a fit of giggles. She always comes in here and entertains the customers with wild stories of her many quests, rewards, and seemingly impossible tasks she's achieved. Apparently she's a member of the Blades, the Fighters guild, Mages guild, Imperial Legion, A hearthfriend of the Ashlanders, the list goes on and on. Also, she's supposedly been a vampire before. How much can one woman possibly do?

She entrains the customers though, and for that I'm thankful. There hasn't been a bar fight in months. The only time things started to get a little rough, she grabbed the man responsible from behind and whispered a few words into his ear. The color instantly drained from his face and he hasn't been seen since.

Tonight, someone wanted to have a drinking challenge with her. Naturally, she refused to back down, and now across their table was about twenty bottles of shien and sujamma. Apparently, they wanted to get as stupid as possible. Still, it was entraining to watch. After seeing her in here almost every night, I knew how much alcohol she could take. After about three bottles of shien and one of sujamma she was completely wasted, but she could fake it extremely well. She tries to distract herself from her drunken state by talking and telling stories, like the one about the meddling kids.

After about three hours of this, most of the patrons decided to depart for the night. The man who initiated the drinking challenge paid her the 500 septims she earned from winning the game and he was so drunk from it that he had to be carried out the tavern. Now after all of that, it was just the both of us. I took the bottles from the table and put them in the back so I could refill them, wiped of the tables, swept the floor, and cleaned of the bar. All the while, she was still sitting in her chair telling stories. It didn't seem to matter to her if anyone was listening, or if they made any sense.

While my back was turned to her, I heard a sudden bang. Not even having to turn around, I knew what happened. She had finally passed out from the alcohol and was sleeping soundly on my table. Looking over my shoulder, I found that I was right. She was snoring noisily, but that wasn't the only loud noise. There was a sharp knocking coming from the door, and I went over to answer it, not even trying to be quiet for her sake. With the amount she drank tonight, I doubted she would awaken from a couple of loud knocks.

I opened up the door to find myself face-to-face with about a dozen fully armed legion.

"We have reason to suspect that you are harboring a fugitive. We have orders to search the premises." One of them said, obviously the captain. He was dressed the most elaborately, the shining metal of his armor gleaming in the darkness. My first instinct was to tell them off, but I wasn't like I had anything to hide from them.

"Fine. Come in if you must, but mind you don't break anything or get anything dirty. I just cleaned up the place." I said, moving aside to let them come in. I made my way across the room, moving past the girl that was still sleeping soundly at the table and tried to make the fire a little bit bigger so I could see more clearly. I didn't want any of them trying to steal. They split up and half of them searched the ground floor and half searched upstairs. While waiting for them to finish their pointless inquiry, I sat with the girl to try to calm down. While she was happily snoring away, I was being searched for no good reason. The nerve!

Not having anything better to do and not wanting my most favorite and loyal customer to sleep in hard wooden chair, I decided to take her upstairs so she could sleep in one of the guest bedrooms. As I put her arm around my neck so I could support her weight, the soldiers came clanking into the room.

"Well, I guess we were-" One of the soldiers started to say, but then he stopped. All of their eyes shot to the girl I was holding.

Before I knew what was happening, two of the men came up behind me a pinned my arms behind my back. The girl had fallen face first on the floor, and I didn't even know if she was still alive. The rest of them were cautiously starting to approach.

"Don't you know who this is?" The captain said fearfully, glancing down at her.

"What's your problem? Who do you think she is?" I said.

"Don't talk to your superior like that." One of the guards hissed in my ear after a swift kick in ribs. If anything, those words just made me want to fight harder. She's nothing but a drunken storyteller and hasn't caused any problems for the few weeks I've known her.

"What…do you…want with…her?" I gasped, trying to get air into my lungs. Those metal boots were probably going to leave one nasty bruise.

"If it was any of your business, you would know about it. Now, we are just going to take the girl. You're lucky we're not bringing you in as an accomplice." The captain said.

Just then, the girl stirred. I suddenly felt a very strong urge to defend her. I didn't even know her name, but I wasn't about to let her be taken away on some false charges.

My mind was frantic as I tried to think of what to do. As one of the men leaned down and slung her over his shoulder, I found an opportunity. The men holding my arms were watching the girl to make sure she didn't wake up, so I twisted myself free, taking the men holding me by surprise. When I felt their grip loosen, I leaped up and punched one of them in the face. I was no fighter, but I had to help her out somehow.

"Get him!" The captain shouted, and about eight of the soldiers converged on me at once. They dragged me out of the bar and into the alley and started beating me. They repeatedly kicked me in my chest, face, wherever I was vulnerable. I was sure that I had one or two ribs broken, maybe more.

"That's enough for now. I think he's learned his lesson." The captain said. Just then it started to rain. Even with my bruised and battered face, I tried to get a good look around. I saw the girl was being carried down to the docks and onto a ship. She looked unconscious, but with a few good bruises on her face and arms. Poor girl must have woken up.

Somehow, I mustered the strength to walk, and tried to make it down to the docks before it was too late. Thankfully, I managed to get the attention of one of the guards.

"Please…you have…the wrong…person." I wheezed.

He just scoffed and laughed. "Oh really? Who do we have then? Because I'm pretty sure all we have here is just criminal scum, and you're lucky we're nice enough not to throw you in with her."

"She's the…the…" I started, trying to remember the name she kept mentioning.

"The what? Emperor? Speak up and quit wasting my time." He said, starting to grow impatient.

"The Nerevarine!" I exclaimed, glad I was finally able to remember. I thought this name would help, but he just looked at me like I was insane.

"Everyone knows the real Nerevarine left to go to Akavir. She wouldn't say with some common bartender like you." He scoffed, but I could see in his eyes he was uncertain. I didn't know if all of the stories she has to tell are true, but when she told me about the Nerevarine I knew she wasn't lying.

"Alright! Set sail for the Imperial City!" The captain bellowed from the ship. The rain was coming down even harder now. The soldier I was talking to suddenly turned around, not wanting to be left behind. He pushed me to the side and I fell, not being able to support myself on my wobbly legs.

"This is for the best," he said as he passed. "Count yourself lucky that were taking one less criminal scum off of your shores."

Then I watched helplessly as they took away the drunken storyteller, almost certain never to be seen again.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: And that's it! Took me long enough. First fanfiction ever! You, my lucky reader, are about to embark on a fantastical quest that will change the world. Or change your disposition. I hope it wasn't a waste for you. Review and tell me what you think. Suggestions? Questions? Wondering why you just took valuable time out of your short life to read this? All will be revealed.<strong>


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